How do you simplify (5/(4x^2)) / (8/x^3)?

2 Answers
Sep 3, 2016

frac{frac{5}{4x^2}}{frac{8}{x^3}} = frac{5x}{32}

Explanation:

Multiply the "lowest common multiple" to both the numerator and the denominator.

A nice common multiple of 4x^2 and x^3 is 4x^3.

So trying to multiply out

frac{frac{5}{4x^2} * (4x^3)}{frac{8}{x^3} * (4x^3)} = frac{5x}{32}

Sep 3, 2016

(5x)/32

Explanation:

When you have a fraction over a fraction, you can make use of the following as the first step in simplifying.

(color(red)(a)/color(blue)(b))/(color(blue)(c)/color(red)(d)) = (color(red)(axxd))/(color(blue)(bxxc))

(5/(4x^2))/(8/x^3) = (5xxx^3)/(4x^2xx8)" "larr" simplify"

=(5x)/32